Tell Me No More Lies
by Artistic Sword
Summary: Seven years after finally awakening the Avatar State, Korra must bring the deadly metal-bending assassin who attacked Republic City's council to justice. Even with her friends' help, nothing could prepare her for the political intrigue of Ba Sing Se, or the unexpected help that comes her way in the form of a man she thought long dead. Can she trust Tarrlok?
1. Chapter 1

The call came right before the pro-bending finals were about to begin. It was the Fire Ferrets' first time losing that critical match in three years. The two-time pro-bending champions had done well in the past three years, rarely losing any matches at all. Today, they lost the finals before any bending began. Mako, Bolin and Avatar Korra didn't enter the ring at all.

There were more important things to deal with. Tenzin's injuries were at the top of the list. Chasing down the assassin who'd burst in the council chambers, taken out two council members and injured the rest was a close second.

"Tenzin…" Korra's voice trailed off as she sat at her mentor's bedside. He looked so _frail_ with those bandages wrapped around him. Her healing lessons from Master Katara had helped, and there were waterbending healers attending the injured council members. Tenzin's life was not in danger, but there were limits even to the healing properties of waterbending. Even the Avatar's, it seemed. It was so frustrating, and she fought back the tears that began to sting her eyes.

"Korra," said Tenzin, flinching in pain as he reached just a few inches to place his hand on his student's hand. "I'll be fine. You did everything that you could for me."

Mako moved out of the way when Pema entered the room teary-eyed with Jinora, Ikki, Meelo and Rowan in tow. He exchanged awkward looks with his brother. Neither brother really knew what to do, here. All they knew was that there place _was_ here, for the time being. Tenzin's compassion had spared them from having to go back to life on the streets, and Tenzin was Korra's airbending master.

"Not quite," said Korra. "That assassin needs to be caught. I'm not letting him get away with this!"

"The metal-bending police—" Pema began to say.

"—are having bigger problems than expected," said Lin, walking into the room without an invitation. The bold and brash woman looked exhausted, even though she held her head high and confidently. "You were right, old friend. That man _is_ a metal-bender."

"Did you catch him?" Meelo butt in hopefully.

"I'm afraid not, Meelo," said Lin, softening her tone only slightly once she saw that even Tenzin's youngest son was present. "He got away…and he hurt several of the police in the process."

"Just how strong is this guy?" inquired Bolin. The idea that earthbenders as strong as the metal-bending police could fall to a single earthbender was somewhat frightening. He'd begun to learn how to metal-bend in the past few years, but it was a slow-going process and Bolin couldn't honestly say he had any real mastery of it. Not the way Lin had. The idea of an earthbender escaping not only her, but an entire team of trained officers gave him a bad feeling. This was the person Korra would be going up against? What was more, he knew his brother would never let Korra go into that fight alone, and Bolin in turn couldn't just ignore it and make it their problem. They were a team.

Lin sighed, some of her weariness coming through in her body language at last. "The strongest earthbender I've ever encountered, including my mother. I don't know how he did it, but he even bent platinum. I thought they'd all been destroyed, but he managed to get hold of a few Equalist tanks and he used bending on the controls to use several at a time."

Korra stood up abruptly. "I'm going to stop him."

"I'm helping," said Jinora.

"Me too," piped in Ikki.

"Me three," said Meelo.

Korra looked at Tenzin's children. First at Jinora, Ikki and Meelo, then at Rowan who was clinging to Tenzin's hand like his life depended on it and fighting off tears. They'd all grown so much in the past seven years. Particularly Jinora, who was the same age Korra had been when she first came to Republic City. It hurt that the kids had to see their father like this, and she understood how they felt. Tenzin wasn't her father, but he was like a second father to her. A father away from home. Being told 'no' would upset the young airbenders, but it needed to be said.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "But I can't take you with me."

In the end, it was Mako who helped her cut off their objections before they even began.

"Your parents and little brother need you right now," he said, gesturing to Tenzin's bedside.

"Don't worry," said Bolin. "We'll come along to help Korra."

The young airbenders considered this for a moment before nodding.

"All right," said Meelo. "But you've gotta punch him in the face. A whole lot!"


	2. Chapter 2

"I'm so sorry I can't come with you," said Asami sadly, hugging Korra tightly as she spoke. "I'd really like to help you guys bring this lunatic to justice."

"You _are_ helping, Asami," Mako pointed out. Even if she wasn't coming with them, she was contributing. She was covering their travelling expenses and supplying them with a top of the line Satomobile that was built for speed. In spite of all that generosity, Mako could see that she felt like she wasn't doing enough. Although Asami Sato hadn't been his girlfriend for seven years, she'd remained a friend for all of those years. He still hated seeing her upset.

"You're the president of Future Industries, now," said Korra, giving her friend a tight hug back. "It's a big responsibility, and you're already doing a lot for us."

"I'd still like to do more," said Asami. "If you need anything, send me a wire message and I'll make sure you get what you need as soon as possible."

"You got it," said Korra, releasing her friend. "Don't worry, Asami. We're going to get this guy."

"I know you will," said Asami, hugging Bolin and Mako in turn. "Please be careful, anyway. That lunatic sounds incredibly dangerous. I don't want to see any of you hurt."

"We will," promised Mako. He'd watch over Korra and Bolin personally. As he always did, though sometimes they watched out for him, now.

"How did you find out that he was headed for Ba Sing Se, by the way?" Asami inquired curiously.

Korra, Bolin, and Mako exchanged slightly guilty looks. Bolin's cheeks flushed.

"…what did you do?" asked Asami, raising one thin, dark eyebrow.

"Uh…well… we kind of knocked a few Triple Threat Triad heads around for information," said Bolin, grinning sheepishly. He sincerely hoped Asami wouldn't be angry. Their elegant and ladylike friend had a rather scary temper.

"And what did Chief Bei Fong think about that?" Asami looked nonplussed. As much as she was willing to help her friends out, she hoped she wasn't going to have to pay their bail when they returned because they decided to enact vigilante justice. Not to mention the concern that the Triads might seek revenge on them later.

"She helped," said Mako, mild amusement showing through in his expression.

Bolin hung his head over the side of the Jade Dragon, the ship that was taking them to the Earth Kingdom and closer to their target. The earthbender's face was nearly as green as his eyes. His stomach churned and he worried that he would be sick on the deck of the luxurious ship if he wasn't careful.

"Note to self – boats and Bolin do not go together," he groaned. He was looking forward to having dry land under his feet again. Short trips – like the one from Air Temple Island to Republic City's mainland – those were fine. This was going to be two very long days on a ship. Bolin counted himself fortunate that technology had advanced as much as it had in the past 75 years. Otherwise, their trip would have taken a full, miserable week.

"_There_ you are," said Korra. "I guess you're feeling pretty seasick, huh? Let me see what I can do to help."

With a single, graceful motion, she pulled water from the ocean in a smooth arc, before setting the water around Bolin's head and ears. Her hands glowed as she applied the healing energy. Master Katara once explained that people got seasick because their balance was thrown off. As she worked, Bolin's shoulders became less tense, and his face started to return to a more normal colour.

"Have I ever told you that you're a wonderful person?" asked Bolin. "Because you are. Thanks, Korra."

Mako arrived a few minutes later. "I was wondering where you were," he commented. "Are you all right, Bolin?"

"I'm fine, thanks to Korra."

"Good. We should probably talk about finding that person somewhere more private."

The last thing they needed was an eavesdropper. Everything the Triple Threats had said about Xie sounded like bad news. If it wasn't for the fact that Korra was going after him, Mako would have gladly left well enough alone. That a single assassin could scare one of the triads that badly was not a good sign at all. Then there was Lin Bei Fong's own report. A genius earthbender that could not only metal-bend, but manipulate the much purer metal, platinum, with enough strength to control multiple tanks? He wasn't looking forward to this confrontation. Especially since Xie was obviously highly skilled in the stealth arts as well. Apparently, the council only noticed him a second before he attacked, and that second was what saved Tenzin's life. However, because it _was_ Tenzin who was attacked, and because Korra was the Avatar, there was no backing out. He'd just have to protect her so she could protect everyone else from Xie.


End file.
